Long-delayed work to dredge thousands of tonnes of silt from Peel Marina has had to be postponed again.

It had hoped the first of two dredging operations could get under way at the weekend or early next week - but the new ban on construction projects has put paid to that.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle announced at a press briefing on Thursday that all construction works, including regular government works will be stopped - although schemes in the immediate national interest may be allowed to proceed.

Now the DoI has confirmed that the silt dredging is not one of these and will therefore be postponed.

Construction work on a settlement lagoon behind the power station site has yet to be completed.

A pipeline has been built, running along the path at side of the River Neb, to carry water from the settled sludge back into the marina.

project

The project to dredge and dispose of 44,000 tonnes of silt, potentially contaminated with heavy metals from old mine workings, will cost the taxpayer £6.9m.

Half of the silt is due to be removed this year, with the other half next spring.

Work should have begun on dredging the marina in spring 2019.

Without dredging, a number of marina berths will have to close.

Some 50 truck movements a day are expected when work begins.

Planning permission (18/01293/B) for a temporary lagoon facility for dewatering and storing dredged sediment was secured in March last year.

That planning consent includes permission for the installation of a temporary pipelines which will discharge water from the silt into the southern end of the marina.